Beijing, China – 21 September 2025
South African figure skater Gian-Quen Isaacs may not have booked her ticket to the Winter Olympics this past weekend, but she delivered a performance that underlined both her progress as an athlete and her determination to carve out a place for African skating
Competing at the ISU “Skate to Milano” Olympic Qualifier in Beijing, Isaacs placed 15th overall with a new personal-best score of 135.93 points. The 20-year-old Capetonian posted 43.16 in the Short Program and rallied with an inspired Free Skate of 92.77, lifting her to 14th in that segment against a strong international field.
While only the top five finishers earned quota spots for Milano-Cortina 2026, Isaacs’ showing was significant: she was the highest-placed African athlete in the competition, once again proving that South Africa belongs in conversations about global figure skating.
Against World-Class Competition
The women’s singles event featured a stacked line-up of European and Asian contenders. Russia’s Adeliia Petrosian (competing as AIN) claimed victory with 209.63 points, followed by Anastasiia Gubanova (Georgia) and Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx, who rounded out the podium. China’s Ruiyang Zhang secured the final quota spot for the host nation in fifth.
Isaacs, meanwhile, improved on her consistency, skating with poise in her Short Program to “Higher” and tackling the emotionally charged “The Man in the Iron Mask” suite in her Free Skate. Her ability to deliver a personal-best on such a high-pressure stage demonstrates the progress she has made in the last two seasons.
Inspiration Beyond the Ice
Isaacs’ journey was spotlighted in an Olympics.com feature last week, which highlighted her ambition to become South Africa’s first Olympic figure skater in 28 years. She spoke candidly about the challenges of pursuing a “Cinderella sport” in a rugby- and cricket-obsessed country, and how she has drawn inspiration from South African swimming icon Chad le Clos.
Le Clos’ advice – to embrace performance as an opportunity rather than a burden – has become a mantra for Isaacs as she competes on the world stage. “I should go out there and be like, ‘Okay, you are all here to see me,’” she recalled him saying.
Her resilience also stems from overcoming setbacks, including missing out on qualification for Beijing 2022 and enduring a COVID-19 battle that temporarily threatened her career. “I found myself asking the hard questions,” she told Olympics.com. “And I’m still here.”
A Trailblazer for South African Skating
Isaacs’ rise has already broken barriers. Training between Cape Town and Bergamo, Italy, under the guidance of coaches Megan Allely-Painczyk and Ondřej Hotárek, she has steadily increased her technical and artistic scores on the ISU circuit. Her performance in Beijing, while not enough to secure a quota, positions her well for future championships, including the 2026 World Championships and potential Grand Prix assignments.
For South Africa, her presence at this level is historic in itself. The last South African to compete at the Winter Olympics in figure skating was Shirene Human at Nagano 1998. Isaacs has made it clear that her ultimate goal is not just her own Olympic berth, but also opening doors for future generations of skaters back home.
“My biggest thing is I really want my journey to be an inspiration to others. I want the new generation of kids to come up and have something already. I want to be able to open the doors,” she said in her Olympics.com interview.
Looking Ahead
Though the Milano-Cortina 2026 dream will depend on future opportunities and potential reallocation of spots, Isaacs’ performance in Beijing represents a breakthrough for both herself and her country. With every personal best, she is not just skating for scores, but for the future of South African winter sport.
For More South African Sports News: Sport South Africa Home Page
For the Article that the Olymipics Team wrote on Isaacs: https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/south-africa-s-gian-quen-isaacs-draws-strength-from-chad-le-clos-on-road-to-milano-cortina-2026
